Why Paul God already had called twelve apostles of the kingdom Although Judas had fallen in transgression, the seat of his apostolic office was filled by Matthias preceding the day of Pentecost. Insofar as Paul was unconverted at the time, he could not have possibly fulfilled the qualificatios set down by the Holy Spirit to be numbered with the twelve (Acts 121-26). Of course, there are many dispensationalists who would agree with this interpretation, but teach that God ordained Paul to be the thirteenth apostle of the kingdom. Perhaps you have heard the saying, 'They jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.' In other words, we have gone from bad to worse, which is certainly the case with this view. the number twelve is stamped throughout the pages of prophecy, thus eliminating the possibility of a thirteenth apostolic office (Matt. 1928 cf. Rev. 12-21). What logical explanation then can we give for Paul's apostleship Before the foundation of the world, God foreordained that He would raise up a new apostle to reveal His eternal purpose for the parenthetical age of Grace in which we now live. Hence, Paul says 'But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen Gentiles...' (Gal. 115.16). When God temporarily rolled up the building plans of prophecy and placed them aside, He made known a secret set of plans. With this program came a completely new set of blueprints. According to the counsel of His will, He had predetermined to call Paul as the masterbuilder of the project. So then, the instructions for our building program are found in Paul's epistles. Little wonder the apostles says 'I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.' (1 Cor. 310). It is essential to use Pauline constructio materials (grace doctrines), simply because someday soon the Building Inspector will examine our workmanship to determine if we followed His codes.
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It is, I fear, but a vain show of fulfilling the heathen precept, ''Know thyself,'' and too often leads to a self-estimate which will subsist in the absence of that fruit by which alone the quality of the tree is made evident.
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It is, I fear, but a vain show of fulfilling the heathen precept, Know thyself, and too often leads to a self-estimate which will subsist in the absence of that fruit by which alone the quality of the tree is made evident.
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I would not attack the faith of a heathen without being sure I had a better one to put in its place.
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The unnatural eating of the Flesh of Animals is as polluting as the Heathen Worship of Devils, with its Sacrifices and its impure Feasts, man becomes a fellow eater with Devils.
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Ephesians 4:17:
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
(NIV)
So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds.
(AMP)
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
(KJV)
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Acts 7:51:
'You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!'
(NIV)
You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers [were], so you [are and so you do]! [Exod. 33:3, 5; Num. 27:14; Isa. 63:10; Jer. 6:10; 9:26.](AMP)
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
(KJV)
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Matthew 6:7:
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
(NIV)
And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking. [I Kings 18:25-29.](AMP)
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(KJV)
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[The apostle St.] Peter said, ‘I live on olives and bread to which I rarely only add vegetables.’ … [For] the unnatural eating of meats is as polluting as the heathen worship of devils, with its sacrifices and its impure feasts, through participation in it a man becomes a fellow eater with devils.
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Acts 11:1:
The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.
(NIV)
NOW THE apostles (special messengers) and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles (heathen) also had received and accepted and welcomed the Word of God [the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God].
(AMP)
And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
(KJV)
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Any nation is heathen that ain't strong enough to punch you in the jaw.
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1 Corinthians 5:1:
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man has his father's wife.
(NIV)
IT IS actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, impurity of a sort that is condemned and does not occur even among the heathen; for a man has [his own] father's wife. [Deut. 22:30; 27:20.](AMP)
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
(KJV)
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Obadiah 1:2:
'See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised.'
(NIV)
Behold, I will make you small among the nations [Edom]; you shall be despised exceedingly. [Ezek. 35.](AMP)
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
(KJV)
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Psalms 46:10:
'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.'
(NIV)
Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!
(AMP)
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
(KJV)
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3 John 1:7:
It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.
(NIV)
For these [traveling missionaries] have gone out for the Name's sake (for His sake) and are accepting nothing from the Gentiles (the heathen, the non-Israelites).
(AMP)
Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.
(KJV)
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Leviticus 25:44:
'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.'
(NIV)
As for your bondmen and your bondmaids whom you may have, they shall be from the nations round about you, of whom you may buy bondmen and bondmaids.
(AMP)
Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
(KJV)
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1 Thessalonians 4:5:
Not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God
(NIV)
Not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will
(AMP)
Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
(KJV)
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